Analysts are warning that Britons may only have a few years to enjoy their state pension in good health

Retirement analysts are sounding the alarm that "healthy" life expectancy in the UK is falling as the state pension age rises earlier than expected.

This week, the Treasury announced the official state pension age will hit 68 years old by 2039, which is seven years earlier than expected under current legislation.

Recent data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed a dramatic health divide across England, with residents of the nation's poorest communities dying more than a decade earlier than those in wealthy neighbourhoods.

Men living in the most disadvantaged areas can expect to reach just 73.2 years on average, whilst their counterparts in affluent regions typically live to 83.6 years, according to data covering 2022 to 2024.

The gap proves equally stark for women, who face average lifespans of 78.3 years in deprived communities compared with 86.4 years in prosperous areas.

Although overall longevity has improved since the 2019 to 2021 period, life expectancy in the poorest neighbourhoods remains below pre-pandemic levels, underscoring persistent inequalities in health outcomes across the country.

Beyond the stark mortality gap, the ONS figures expose a troubling decline in healthy life expectancy across all regions of England.

In the most disadvantaged communities, men can anticipate remaining in good health until just 49.8 years of age, whilst women face the prospect of illness from 48.2 years onwards.

Those residing in wealthier areas fare considerably better, with healthy life expectancy reaching 69.2 years for men and 68.5 years for women. The disparity becomes even more pronounced when examining the proportion of life spent in good health.

Men in deprived neighbourhoods experience just 68 per cent of their lives without significant health problems, with women faring worse at 62 per cent.

By contrast, residents of affluent areas enjoy good health for 83 per cent and 79 per cent of their lives respectively.

The declining health statistics carry profound implications for retirement planning, particularly as the state pension age is set to increase to 67 by 2028, with a further rise to 68 scheduled for 2046.

Sarah Coles, head of personal finance at AJ Bell, highlighted the troubling disconnect between pension policy and health realities.

She said: "At the moment, the average person aged 68 in well-heeled areas is in good health, but the average person in less well-off areas has been unwell for almost two decades."

Women in disadvantaged communities face an average of 30.1 years in poor health from age 48.2, whilst men endure 23.4 years of illness from 49.8.

This raises serious questions about whether many workers in poorer regions can realistically continue employment until they qualify for state pension support.

Ms Coles urged individuals to consider building financial safety nets, including emergency savings, critical illness cover, or income protection to bridge any gap before pension access becomes available.

She added: "Unfortunately, for those who are most likely to need the extra support, in the least well-off areas, finding the money to build a safety net is more difficult."

However, she encouraged people to reassess their circumstances whenever their financial situation changes and take whatever steps they can afford.